FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Saturday, February 22, 2020
MEDIA CONTACT:
Bethany Khan: bkhan@culinaryunion226.org ▪ (702) 387-7088
STATEMENT by Geoconda Argüello-Kline regarding the 2020 Nevada Caucus:
The Culinary Union did not endorse ahead of the Nevada Caucus and instead focused on mobilizing members and their families to vote early. For the first time in 85 years, the Culinary Union was an early vote site and over 2,500 Nevadans cast their ballot over 4 days at our early vote location.
The Democratic Caucus is the first step in defeating Trump on Election Day, and high turnout in the Nevada Caucus is a victory for working people and the democratic process.
Issues important to working families are on the ballot this November and the Culinary Union remains focused on:
-Winning comprehensive immigration reform and a pathway to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants.
-Ensuring that One Job Should Be Enough for every worker.
-Securing healthcare for all, while maintaining a choice for Culinary Union members to keep what we’ve built in 85 years.
-Defeating Trump on Election Day.
Nevadans sent a clear message today that Trump is a threat to workers and democracy, and that we will defeat him in November.
UNITE HERE’s Culinary Union, the strongest political force in Nevada, will put our unmatched organizing power to mobilize workers and every voter in the state to get out and vote on Election Day.
ABOUT CULINARY UNION:
Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and Bartenders Union Local 165, Nevada affiliates of UNITE HERE, represent 60,000 workers in Las Vegas and Reno, including at most of the casino resorts on the Las Vegas Strip and in Downtown Las Vegas. UNITE HERE represents 300,000 workers in gaming, hotel, and food service industries in North America.
The Culinary Union, through the Culinary Health Fund, is one of the largest healthcare consumers in the state. The Culinary Health Fund is sponsored by the Culinary Union and Las Vegas-area employers. It provides health insurance coverage for over 145,000 Nevadans, the Culinary Union’s members and their dependents.
The Culinary Union is Nevada’s largest immigrant organization with members who come from 178 countries and speak over 40 different languages. We are proud to have helped over 18,000 immigrants become American citizens and new voters since 2001 through our affiliate, The Citizenship Project.
The Culinary Union has a diverse membership -- approximately 55% women, 54% Latinx, 19% White, 15% Asian, 10% Black, and less than 1% Indigenous Peoples — and consists of guest room attendants, cocktail and food servers, porters, bellmen, cooks, bartenders, laundry and kitchen workers. The Culinary Union has been fighting for fair wages, job security, and good health benefits for workers in Nevada for 85 years.
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CulinaryUnion226.org / @Culinary226